Rising Darkness
by Modern Day Antebellum
Summary: Trouble with the Clans are coming. What are Lionbaze, Jayfeather, and Dovewing hiding from Fernpaw? And why is Rushheart, a RiverClan warrior, so fascinated by Fernpaw? Post Omen of the Stars.
1. Chapter 1

Early morning sunlight flitted through the den. Fernpaw blinked her pale green eyes open, as she stretched in her nest. Her paws thudded dully against her brother, Swiftpaw's back. He cracked an eye open, though it narrowed at her.

"Can't you be still?" He grumbled, though he to stood up, stretching next to his sister. "Your always so fidgety in the mornings. Like sharing a den with a fox!" Fernpaw purred at him, and he flicked his ear and padded out of the den, his tail tip flicking her on the shoulder.

Fernpaw followed after him, shaking scraps of moss from her pelt. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the sun, but purred as it reached through the hollow and warmed her dusky brown fur. In the middle of Leafbare, any sun was welcomed by the cats of ThunderClan.

Her ears pricked as she noticed Cherypaw and Molepaw, each holding their heads and tails high as they padded into the camp, prey dangling from their jaws. Dovewing, Cherrypaw's mentor, followed soon after with Toadstep, Molepaw's mentor. Fernpaw bounded over, her whiskers twitching. "Wow!" She mewed, her eyes round. "Great catch!"

Cherrypaw's fur fluffed with pride, and her eyes were bright. "Thanks, Fernpaw!" She exclaimed. "Bramblestar said if we did well, we would be made warriors this evening!"

Fernpaw purred as she pressed her flank against her friend's. "That's great, Cherrypaw! And I'll be the first cat yowling your warrior name." Cherrypaw blinked warmly at her, but her response was cut off as Bramblestar padded over. He looked to Fernpaw, and Lionblaze and Icecloud padded over.

"Fernpaw," Bramblestar meowed. "I want you go to with Lionblaze and Icecloud to patrol the ShadowClan border. They're been crossing far to often, and it's time someone put a stop to it." Fernpaw watched as his amber eyes narrowed, and turned her gaze onto Lionblaze. The deputy-And also her father- blinked warmly at her.

"Come on, you two," the golden tom rumbled to the two she-cats. "ShadowClan aren't going to sit around and wait to be caught by a patrol." With that, he padded towards the thorn barrier entrence, Iceloud stalking after him, flanked by Fernpaw.

Together, the small patrol stalked towards the border, keeping to the bushes. Fernpaw's fur started to prickle as she got a fresh scent of ShadowClan. By the bristling pelts of her companions, she could tell she wasn't the only one.

As soon as they had scented them, four ShadowClan cats appeared; One was Blackstar, his white pelt rippling powerfully. He was flanked by his deputy, Rowanclaw, his ginger fur gleaming in the weak sunlight. Toadfoot and Crowfrost prowled behind them, claws unsheathed and pelts bristling with the thought of a fight.

Lionblaze narrowed his eyes as he dipped his head to Blackstar. "Blackstar," He greeted formally. "What are you doing here, so close to the border?"

Blackstar flicked an ear nonchantly, as his green eyes gazed at the ThunderClan cats calmly, though there was a flicker of his usual coldness in them.

"If you'll notice," The ShadowClan leader meowed, "ThunderClan is just as close to the border as we are."

Lionblaze's whiskers twitched, and Fernpaw noticed the fur along Icecloud's spine bristle.

"We're the border patrol," Lionblaze retorted. "And besides, we have just as much of a right to be here as you."

Blackstar simple dipped his head. "I understand that," he rumbled. "Crowfrost, mark the borders and let's be getting back to camp."

Crowfrost dipped his head to Blackstar and quickly marked ShadowClan's side of the border, all the while having his lips drawn back to the ThunderClan patrol.

Once finished, the ShadowClan patrol turned without another word and slunk off into the shadows. Fernpaw surpressed a shudder, and felt Lionblaze's tail tip rest on her shoulder. "Don't let those fox-hearts frighten you," He murmered, his warm breath comforting Fernpaw. She purred up at her father and fluffed her fur out, holding her head high.

"Of course not!" The ducky brown apprentice meowed. "I'm a ThunderClan cat; We're not scared of anything!"

Lionblaze let out a purr of amusement as he and Icecloud seat about to remarking the border. "Come on, then," He mewed once they had finished. "We better be off. I need to report to Bramblestar about this."

With a nod, the three cats bounded easily through the woods, their pelts rippling. Fernpaw couldn't help the sudden swell of pride she felt then, running beside her father and mentor.

_I'm a ThunderClan cat, _she thought to herself. _I'm not afraid of anything!_


	2. Chapter 2

As Fernpaw, Lionblaze, and Icecloud padded into the camp, Lionblaze dismissed her while he and her mentor went to report to Bramblestar. Fernpaw scanned the hollow quickly, and located her Swiftpaw by the apprentice's den, and Fernpaw assumed Cherrypaw and Molepaw had left already for their assessments.

Fernpaw trotted over to her brother, and the brown tabby tom looked up and flicked an ear in greeting. Fernpaw rasped her tounge over his ear affectionately, before crouching down next to him, paws tucked under her.

"How was patrol?" Swiftpaw questioned, while pushing a half eaten mouse towards her. "I saved some for you."

Fernpaw took a bite of the morsel, brushing her tail along his flank gratefully. "We ran into ShadowClan," She mewed once she had finished.

Swiftapaw's eyes flashes with slight shock. "What?" He hissed. "Did they attack? Are you alright? What did they want?"

Fernpaw pressed against him, as if to comfort him, and purred. "It's fine, Swiftpaw. They were just the border patrol."

Before Swiftpaw could answer, the two apprentices' mother, Cinderheart, came slinking in thorugh the camp entrence. Her fur was ruffled, her eyes wide. Behind her, Cloudtail and Brightheart helped support the bloody body of Cherrypaw, Molepaw trailing anxiously behind them. With syncronized gasps, Fernpaw and Swiftpaw leaped up and pelted over, only to have their way barred by Cinderheart.

"Easy," She gently gray she-cat murmered, wrapping her tail around them. "Cherrypaw is fine. She had a bit of a run in with a fox, but she fought it bravely."

Cinderheart's eyes were blazing with pride, and Fernpaw dimly remembered Cherrypaw was her apprentice, while Molepaw was Cloudtail's.

Jayfeather poked his head out of his den and sniffed at the air, before padding over to examine all the cats.

"Briarlight!" The gray tom called back to his den. "Gather some thyme for Molepaw and Cherrypaw, as well as marigold for Cherrypaw, please."

Fernpaw heard Briarlight's faint mew, signlaing she had heard her mentor and was now snuffling around for the correct herbs.

Fernpaw's pelt was standing on end as she watched her friend limp to the medicine den. Just then, Bramblestar, Lionblaze, and Icecloud came bounding over.

"What happened?" Bramblestar demanded, his amber gaze flicking from Berrynose, Cinderheart, and Cloudtail.

As Berrynose began to explain, Lionblaze bent down to murmur into Fernpaw and Swiftpaw's ears.

"I don't want to hear of either of you leaving camp alone, understood?" His warm breath ruffled Fernpaw's ear fur, as she nodded at him, pale green eyes wide with fright.

Swiftpaw, however, simple shrugged as if the news of the fox hadn't even fazed him. With a shudder, Fernpaw realized her brother was already thinking of ways to sneak out of camp soon to track the fox alone. Once Lionblaze had averted his attention away from them, the dusky she-cat leaned over to hiss into her brother's ear.

"You'd better not be planning on going out anyways," She warned him quietly.

Swiftpaw snapped his hazy blue gaze to her, eyes narrowed to slits. "Well then," He retorted, "Why not come with me?"

Fernpaw's ears flicked, and as she opened her jaws to answer, Swiftpaw cut her off. "Think about it!" He hissed as the two began to make their way back to the apprentice's den. "We wouldn't really be leaving camp alone, we would be with eachother."

Fernpaw mulled over his words for a few heartbeats. "But... why? Shouldn't we let the warriors deal with the fox?"

Swiftpaw's eyes gleamed in the dusky sunlight. "Exactly!" He mewed excitedly. "Think, Fernpaw! If we track this fox and chase if away from the territory, Bramblestar will have to make us warriors!"

Fernpaw's pelt bristled from excitement. "Your right!" She meowed, eyes shining.

Swiftpaw nodded, claws scraping the earth. "Let's go; The sooner we do this, the sooner we get made into warriors!"

Together, the two littermates slinked silently and un noticed out of camp, into the forrest.


	3. Chapter 3

The twilight caused the forest to be cast in shadows as Fernpaw raced alongside Swiftpaw though the ferns. The two blended perfectly; Fernpaw's dusky brown pelt matching the bracken and ferns, Swiftpaw's dark tabby pelt giving him camoflouge againse the shadows. Once they were far enough from the camp, the two apprenticed paused to catch their breath.

Fernpaw opened her mouth slightly to taste the air, and recoiled as the strong stence of fox invaded her senses. "Yuck!" She spat, fur bristling.

Swiftpaw nodded in agreement, screwing up his nose. "It must be close," her murmured softly. Suddenly feeling afraid, Fernpaw pressed herself against Swiftpaw. The tom turned to look at her in shock. "Fernpaw, I didn't think it would frighten you this badly." He paused, thinking for a moment. "Maybe you were right," He began. "We should leave this to the warriors."

Fernpaw nodded, but her answer was cut off as the fonds of brakcne began to quiver madly. The scent of fox suddenly became overpowering, nearly masking her own scent. The two cats crouched low to the ground, pressing aganst eachother as the fox stepped out, it's ugly maw snuffling around greedily.

Suddenly, the fox turned its gaze to Fernpaw and Swiftpaw. Fernpaw's pelt was fluffed, making her lookw twice her size, and Swiftpaw's pelt was no different. Shaking with fear, Fernpaw mewled pitifully as the fix began advancing on them. With a furious screech, Swiftpaw hurled himself towards it, claws unsheathed.

"Leave me and my sister alone, you piece of fox dung!" He spat furiously, clawing madly at the fox's pelt. Fernpaw's stomach lurched, but she knew she could not let Swiftpaw fight alone. Gathering all her courage, the small she-car hurtled herself out, using what few battle moves she had been taught.

Together, the two cats nipped, bit, clawed, and spat. Just when it seemed like they may actually be driving the fox back, another one appeared. Fernpaw sent a horrifed glance to Swiftpaw. "Run!" She yowled, as the two scrambled away. The foxes were faster.

As they raced to climb a tree, the first fox clamped it's jaws around Swiftpaw's body. The young tom's horrified screech was cut off unnaturally.

"Swiftpaw! No!" Fernpaw's grief filled yowl filled the clearing, though the foxed didn't seem to notice. She snarled, grief giving her new energy as she hurtled herself onto the fox who had killed her brother. The fox yelped and bucked around, trying to throw Fernpaw off of it's back. When it finally succeeded, Fernpaw skidded on the forest floor. As she tried to scramble to her paws, she felt dull but powerfull teeth and claws digging into her pelt.

She let out a pain filled yowl, as she feebly twisted and turned to try and claw at something, anything. Just as she gave up and prepared herself to meet StarClan, she heard a familiar yowl. It was Bramblestar, and by the scent of it, he had brought a whole patrol.

Fernpaw picked her ehad up slightly, and saw Bramblestar and Lionblaze leaping at the fox who had wounded her, and noticed Cinderheart, Dovewing, and Ivypool giving chase to the fox that had killed Swiftpaw.

The fox that was being attacked by Lionblaze and Bramblestar soong gave up, and ran into the bushes, tail tucked between it's legs. Lionblaze made a move to chase it, but Bramblestar stopped him.

"Lionblaze, no. We need to get them back to camp."

Fernpaw noticed her father;s eyes glowing hatred as he nodded. He padded over to sniff at Swiftpaw, and soon his eyes clouded with pain and he let out a yowl. "No!" He moaned, pressing his nose into Swiftpaw's fur. "Why, StarClan? Why?"

Bramnlestar bowed his head, pressing his flank to Lionblaze's.

"There will be time to grive back at camp," He meowed. "But for now, your daughter is badly injured."

As he finished speaking, Cinerheart, Dovewing, and Ivypool came bounding back.

"Fox is gone," Cinderheart panted. Her gaze fell on Swiftpaw, and her pelt bristled in horror. "Oh, no," She whispered brokenly.

Fernpaw suddenly let out a loud wail as the pain set in. All cats suddenly lurched towards her, but Cinderheart was faster. She behan covering Fernpaw in licks. "Oh, Fernpaw," she whispered. "Don't worry, you will be fine. I promise."

Lionblaze padded over, and gently grabbed Fernpaw by the scruff. Fernpaw let out a pitiful moan of pain, and felt Cinderheart press against her other side. Bramblestar picked up Swiftpaw's body, his dark tabby body hanging limply from the leader's jaws.

Dovewing and Ivypool raced ahead, to warn the camp and give Jayfeher time to prepare the herbs.

Fernpaw's eyes began to dropped, and soon she went completely limp in her father's jaws.


End file.
